Dear friends,
Even in the best of times, it can be challenging to get out of bed and remember to practice mindfulness. When I remember to start my day with some mindful action, such as a few mindful breaths or steps, my day may not be perfect, but it does lean toward more ease and joy.
Practicing mindfulness in the morning can still include other more typical activities like enjoying a cup of our favorite coffee drink (or my new favorite Oolong tea.) And it doesn’t mean we have to be all perky and bubbly. (I surely am not.)
I read somewhere that we can think of each day as a room that no one has ever gone into before. The day can be an exploration that is experienced in this particular way only by us and only this once. Mindfulness helps me hold onto this openhearted and attentive mindset throughout the day.
Dear Friends,
Anger is an interesting topic to reflect on. It’s something that arises naturally in us in response to seeing or feeling pain. It may arise when we want to protect something precious, such as ourselves or innocent people. There are ways to practice cooling the dangerous flames of anger, without suppressing it entirely, that can leave us with valuable embers of energy pointing us toward greater love.
Both the Buddha and Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) taught about anger and how to work with it. In an interview with the author bell hooks, Thay said:
“To be angry, that is very human. And to learn how to smile at your anger and make peace with your anger is very nice. That is the whole thing—the meaning of the practice, of the learning. By taking a look at your anger it can be transformed into the kind of energy that you need—understanding and compassion.”
Dear Friends,
I’ve self identified as codependent since I learned what the word meant (unhealthy attachment to another person/s). I recently had a chance to experience this habit energy in a funny way that led me to a bit more understanding.
While I was at the Cirque du Soleil, I found myself unable to enjoy the show because somewhere deep inside I believed I was responsible for keeping the performers safe. I’m not kidding. Given the amount of talent, professionalism and training of the performers and my little seat in the 35th row, that was clearly a delusional belief.